Job Seekers' Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does your recruiting firm charge job hunters for any services?

A. Never. Client companies always pay our fee.

Q. Does your firm treat my profile confidentially?

A. Yes. We will never submit your resume to any client company without receiving your permission first.

Q. Does your firm search for known candidates in your database or from job postings on a Website?

A. Both. We always search our current database and we evaluate candidates from job postings, too. We look for the best candidates to fill our clients needs.

Q. Do you make any promises or guarantees to jobseekers?

A. We work to match qualified candidates with client opportunities but timing is everything. There are no guarantees that we will have a current opportunity that matches your career goals, interests and skill set.

Q. Are all recruiting firms alike?

A. No.  Differences in operating practices, specialties and individual style mean no two recruiting firms operate identically.

Q. If I accept a position through a recruiting firm, will my compensation be lowered to pay the fee?

A. No. Companies hire search firms for their services and pay a fee that's calculated on a new hire's salary but paid completely separately.  If a search firm recommends you, it will have no impact on your final salary negotiations.  If anything, a recruiting firm can give you information on current pay levels, which will ensure that you'll receive a competitive offer.

Q. What is a retained executive-search firm?

A. Firms that specialize in finding top-level candidates exclusively on a retained basis, which means they receive payments regardless of whether a candidate is hired. Firms usually receive one-third of the fee up front, one-third after 30 days and the balance at the end of the assignment.

Q. What is a contingency recruiting firm?

A. Search firms place candidates in mid to senior-level positions. Fees are paid by client companies on a "contingency" basis or contingent upon the firm finding a candidate who's hired for the position.  Contingency firms tend to specialize in certain industries or functions.  Next Step Systems is a contingency recruiting firm specializing in Information Technology (IT) career opportunities.

Q. What is an employment or personnel agency?

A. This term is less frequently used but refers to companies that place lower level or staff employees in clerical, skilled or semi-skilled openings. These agencies usually don't specialize by function or industry, and are paid fees by employers on a contingency basis.

Next Step Systems is an equal opportunity Technology Recruitment Firm

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